The following disclosure relates to a method and system for equalizing recovery of hydrocarbons from wells with multiple production zones having varying flow characteristics.
In long wells with multiple producing zones, the temperatures can vary between the zones thereby having an effect on the production rate and ultimately the total production from the various zones. For example, a high flowing zone can increase in temperature due to the friction of fluid flowing therethrough with high velocity. Such an increase in fluid temperature can decrease the viscosity of the fluid, thereby tending to further increase the flow rate. These conditions can result in depletion of hydrocarbons from the high flowing zones, while recovering relatively little hydrocarbon fluid from the low flowing zones. Systems and methods to equalize the hydrocarbon recovery rate from multi-zone wells would therefore be well received in the art.